Alabama position breakdown: The running backs

White team running back T.J. Yeldon (4) evades Crimson team linebacker C.J. Mosley (32) in the second quarter of the Alabama A-Day football game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Saturday, April 14, 2012. (The Birmingham News/Mark Almond)

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- With less than two weeks remaining before Alabama resumes its
on-field preparations for the 2012 season, there's no better time than
now to re-examine who's all going to be where.

So, over the next
eight days, we're going to go from position group to position group and
see where each area stands. And we'll be doing it with about 500 words.

It's time to see how the Crimson Tide plans to replace a Heisman Trophy finalist.

The numbers-
No one in the SEC ran it better than Alabama did in 2011. The Crimson
Tide averaged 214.6 rushing yards per game thanks largely to Heisman
trophy finalist Trent Richardson, who was the best in the conference
with 1,679 yards and 21 touchdowns. Eddie Lacy was certainly effective
as a backup, running for 674 yards and seven touchdowns on just 95
carries. Jalston Fowler, Alabama's short-yardage guy, ran for 385 yards
and four scores while Blake Sims added 107 yards.

The departed- Richardson (Selected with third pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2012 NFL Draft)

The man in the spotlight-
Lacy has been seemingly groomed for this spot on the depth chart for
this particular year ever since he was the third man on the totem pole
behind Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. He's certainly made the most of
his relatively minimal opportunities. Before he ran for 674 yards as a
sophomore, Lacy notched a modest 406 yards and six touchdowns as a true
freshman. Lacy, though, won't take over Alabama's starting role without
having to fight for his job. Not only will Lacy have to play some
catch-up after missing the spring with turf toe, but he's the de facto
leader atop a depth chart loaded with potential.

The rising star-
The spotlight was already shining brightly on Yeldon, a five-star
recruit from Daphne who flipped his commitment from Auburn to Alabama
shortly before enrolling for the 2012 spring semester. He did nothing to
quell the hype with his performance in Alabama's spring game, as he
compiled 179 yards of offense and took home the Dixie Howell Award as
the team's offensive MVP. At 6-foot-2 and 216 pounds, Yeldon looks the
part of the kind of every-down back Saban loves in his backfield. And as
Ingram and Richardson have proven, Saban hasn't hesitated to put the
ball in a freshman's hands.

The unheralded-
Fowler, at 6-foot-1 and 242 pounds, looks more like a fullback than a
running back, but he's made strides toward being recognized as a guy
that can do more than just plow through the pile in short-yardage
situations. With Lacy and Sims both out for the spring, Fowler was the
only running back with much of any experience on Alabama's roster. He
was treated the respect he deserved, basically serving as the Crimson
Tide's top back from start to finish. Known affectionately as "Nudie,"
Fowler may not be the top Alabama rusher at any point during his career,
but he promises to have a significant role over the next two years.

The battle-
The month of August might not be enough time to settle who is going to
be toting the rock most for Alabama in 2012. This could very well be a
situation that develops organically and evolves throughout the season.
Maybe it will go to whoever has the "hot hand" between Lacy and Yeldon.
No matter what, both figure to be at the top of stat sheet when the
season comes to a close.

The quote"I
do think that we have a couple running backs that will probably create
some competition. But we've always played more than one running back."
-- Saban